Get it now on

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

In an attempt to elicit laughs, the world is portrayed as filled with people who are some combination of stupid, mean, vengeful, materialistic, and oblivious. The film also presents a very negative picture of adoption.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Authority figures are seen as ineffectual, uncaring, and clownish. The one loving parent is naive and inept. Children (and most adults) are depicted as selfish, unkind, and materialistic. Bigotry is used as a source of humor.

Violence

Strictly cartoon violence throughout. A 7-year-old child is responsible for car crashes, including a man atop a careening, out-of-control vehicle; nuns slipping and falling; fist fights; men toppling from high places; setting fire to a house; and more. In addition, there's a bear attack, a prison break, and an exaggeratedly violent criminal wields a gun and kidnaps the boy and his adopted mom.

Sex

A brief, farcical demonstration of the human reproductive system using plastic body parts; some beefcake photographs of men; one overblown kiss. Junior takes pictures of nuns undressing and a priest sitting on a toilet.

A convicted criminal smokes throughout. A few instances of adults having a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that in this slapstick comedy, a 7-year-old boy causes chaos from start to finish. He's bad for the sake of being bad and delights in setting fires, causing accidents, hurting people, pickpocketing, and driving recklessly, all without remorse. His misbehavior is exaggerated and unrealistic. Despite characters being pummeled, hit with a baseball bat, squished and squashed, and even sailing through the air locked in a suitcase, no one is injured. There's lots of potty humor (including the boy's penchant for peeing on people and farting for effect). Mild swearing is frequent ("crap," "ass," "hell," "goddamn"), and there are several slurs ("Japs," "retarded"). Stereotypically heartless nuns and a priest are used as comic foils and objects of disdain, including shots of hefty nuns undressing and a priest sitting on the toilet. The movie also presents a very negative take on adoption.

What's the story?

Junior, a destructively mischievous child, is passed from various homes to an orphanage and finally into the arms of Ben (John Ritter), a clueless but well-meaning adoptive father, and his social-climbing wife. The new household, as well as their entire neighborhood, is upended by Junior's behavior. Meanwhile, not too far away, Martin Beck (Michael Richards), a dangerous criminal, breaks out of prison, hoping to find Junior, who has become his ardent fan and penpal. Mayhem meets frenzy as the two forces of nature collide and Ben tries to bring some stability to the little boy's life.

Is it any good?

PROBLEM CHILD is a live-action cartoon with pratfalls, slapstick action, one-dimensional characters, and very little heart. Director Dennis Dugan, hoping perhaps to emulate Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner or Tom and Jerry, has come up with "devil-child against the world," with the same pacing and exaggerated violence of the animated shorts. And like those shorts, there's no real resolution, no change in behavior: Nice guys remain nice guys, buffoons are always buffoons, and the little guy's emotional arc barely moves from A to B.

The performances are uniformly loud and over-the-top, with some highly offensive comic portrayals of nuns and priests and a whiny, abrasive narration throughout from Junior himself. Ritter's usual nice-guy appeal can't save anyone, and Richards, Jack Warden, and Amy Yasbeck (who plays Junior's adoptive mother) are more obnoxious than comic. All of this might be somewhat excusable if the movie was funny or clever. But unless watching people crash and burn is your cup of tea, it's simply not.

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.

Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Help center

Follow Common Sense Media

Common Sense, Common Sense Media, Common Sense Education, and Common Sense Kids Action, associated names, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN 41-2024986).